The present invention relates to forced draft compostors, and in particular, relates to composting apparatuses wherein long windrows of organic material are formed over one or more conduits which evacuate air from the windrow to speed the composting process.
With the increased interest in "natural" foods and a growing general aversion to many foods treated with chemical pesticides and herbicides, there is also an increasing demand for "organic" fertilizers in place of the commonly used chemical fertilizers. Aside from using animal excrement and other organic waste by-products, one of the oldest methods of obtaining natural, organic fertilizer is the composting method wherein leaves and other vegetation are collected into piles in which the process of natural decay breaks down these various materials into material suitable for use as fertilizer. Composting, however, is not a quick process when simply left to procede at its natural rate in a pile of organic material, and the process rate is subject to many variables which affect the rate, such as: temperature, humidity, pH, and availability of air or oxygen to enhance the decay process.